Variety pack
by Kelirehenna
Summary: Tea, soap bubbles, conspiracies, first times, shiny lights and roundhouse kicks, oh my. A collection of ficlets/drabbles.
1. How To & BryTal

... Hi.

**Where have you been**: In case anyone was aware that I was gone for quite a while, my apologies for disappearing. Those who had no idea, never mind.

**What are you doing now**: I have a new project. I am determined to write a collection of drabbles/ficlets. 50 at first, after that I will consider another 50. ... this may take me several years, at the current speed I'm writing, but I plan to finish it anyways. I will write, harass my beta and post stories here as often as I can.

**A collection, you say**: Yep, a collection. Some of them are total one-shots, some will be connected to other chapters/stories. I will mention about possible connections in the beginning of the chapter. Ratings, possible pairings and warnings will be also always mentioned separately in every ficlet.

**Current Beta**: Taijiya Mizu. I will be counting on her help as long as she is willing to deal with my grammar mistakes and odd ways of forming sentences.

**General rating**: T for coarse language and suggestions of sexual relations. Nothing too explicit, though.

**Pairings**: Multiple. There will be yaoi, yuri and het. But like I said, I will mention the pairings early on, you won't be surprised into reading anything that might give you traumas. I hope.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. How surprising.

... on with the show, then.

Because of the _The chapter system is not to be used as placeholder for non-story content such as author notes. You can add short author notes to the beginning or at the end of stories but never as individual chapters_, I will start with a little ficlet right now.

Pairing: Bryan x Tala

Rating: T. Leave it to these two to start things roughly.

Warnings: People being odd while doing things in the bedroom.

* * *

After hours of waiting, now was the time to act. Tala didn't resist when Bryan dragged him to the bedroom.

Bryan didn't waste time undressing Tala gently, in his point of view clothes were just a nuisance that deserved to be teared into little pieces. Tala stood mostly still and looked as if he was thinking very hard.

Bryan almost tossed Tala onto their bed.

Downstairs, Ian and Spencer put the music louder. They didn't need to hear this. And as they had learned, music did cover most of the voices the bed made.

Tala was silent and distant, as if he was too busy to actually enjoy. Bryan didn't like it, but didn't want to ask about it either.

Suddenly, without a warning, Tala wrapped his legs around Bryan's waste and pulled him closer. Bryan was officially the first one to make a sound.

This needed to stop. But he still didn't want to ask what was going on.

Tala saved him the trouble.

"Bryan... do you ever think about how much bullshit people let out of their mouths? Why can't they just shut the fuck up and enjoy their lives?"

The creaking of the bed stopped. Bryan blinked a couple of times. He tried to decide which was more important: telling Tala he was nuts or screwing the aforementioned redhead senseless. He couldn't get away with doing both.

He made up his mind.

"... yeah."

They continued as they were. Tala was next one to make some noise.

* * *

... I have no idea, really. It just popped into my mind.

Next on line: Kai, Ray and some tea.


	2. KaiRay

Title: Teatime

Rating: Something from K+ to T, I suppose.

Pairing: Kai x Ray

Warning: boy x boy -relationship.

A/N: If you have read the Beyblade manga and like the way it portraits Kai's and Ray's childhood/parents, you might not like this fic.

* * *

Ray had never understood humanity's fascination with alcohol. People said it made them loosen up. Relax. Feel good about themselves. But the way Ray saw it, so did a nice cup of tea.

Grantedly, not just any tea. But Ray had some mad skills when it came to hot beverages, and his tea was famous among his friends and acquaintances. Kai drank it probably enough to be called an addict.

He felt a bit guilty as he placed two porcelain cups on a tray. It wasn't in Ray's nature to take advantage of the special effects his tea had on people, but Ray was an inquisitive person, and he had been pondering something for quite a while. He needed to know, and without the tea, Kai might never tell.

"Teatime!"

It always gave Ray a fright when Kai seemingly materialized out of nowhere. As usual, the older teen said nothing, just kissed Ray on the cheek and took his cup.

Silence continued as they slowly sipped their drinks. Ray decided to do a test.

"I'm thinking about inviting Mystel and Brooklyn over some weekend."

"Hn."

Kai needed more tea.

Ray waited five minutes.

"I think it could be fun."

"You do remember that I hate the ginger one?"

Ah-ha! Kai was giving direct and honest answers. It was now or never.

... but first things first.

"You should at least try to get along. I happen to like Mystel a lot. So, you are bound to see Brooklyn now and then."

Kai grimaced. Ray decided to go ahead with the question.

"Kai. We've been together a pretty long time now..."

"A year, seven months and..." Kai took a quick look at the calender, "about 16 days, yes."

Ray did marvellous job of not being slightly creeped out.

"Err, right, and I know that you don't like talking about your past and I respect that..."

"... but?" Kai asked, one eyebrow raised.

"But I'd like you to remember that you can tell me anything, including any possible information about your parents. So far I've only heard about your grandpa. But I respect your privacy if you don't wish to tell. And by respect, I mean that I'll wait 'till you go on a business trip and then go through all your stuff in hopes of finding something interesting."

Kai gave him a long stare, and then suddenly chuckled.

"Bad kitty."

Ray pouted. He knew Kai would give in if he looked cute enough.

"Oh, fine then. If you must know, my parents are presumably dead."

And just like that, it all stopped being funny in Ray's head. It was the answer he had expected, but he had still hoped for something else.

"I'm sorry to hear that. ... but presumably? How come?"

"They haven't been around ever since I was five. One day, Grandfather just told me they wouldn't be coming back. I've tried asking what he did to them, but he never told me. Most likely they are dead, but a small part of me keeps wishing that they are just somewhere far away from here."

"Have you tried looking for them?"

"It's a big world, Ray. My detectives advise me not to let my hopes up. Even if they were alive, I might never find them."

Ray shifted uneasily.

"I shouldn't have brought this up. I apologize."

Kai smiled a bit too warmly to be completely sincere.

"I suppose it was time for you to know. It's your turn now."

Ray hadn't expected that.

"I'm not the only mysterious one. You never told about your parents either."

"I don't know much about them. The village raised me. My father died some hours before I was even born, and my mother abandoned me. She wasn't locals, she left the village, and me, as soon as she was able to. Couldn't handle losing my father, I was told."

There was a short, understanding silence. Kai got up on his feet, disappeared, and then reappeared with a photo album. He opened it and showed Ray a family portrait. There was a handsome-looking couple with a small, maybe three-year-old child. It took Ray a while to realize who it was.

"Aww, a heartbreaker already at such an young age. You look a lot like your dad, nowadays."

"I've got my mother's eyes though. Or so they tell me."

Ray kept staring at the photo.

"Dreadlocks, though?"

"Dad wanted to look better than me, and I was too young to defend myself."

Ray looked at Kai's parents. Names Pietr and Yakaterina were written neatly next to the photo, as well as Kai's name. It seemed like they could have been nice people.

"I don't have any pictures of my parents. Villagers told me I look a lot like my dad, too, but I have my mother's hair. Which explains a lot."

They shared a quiet laugh.

"You know... I could find out who your mother is."

"I don't think I really even want to know, anymore. I don't need a person entering my life, calling herself my parent. The villagers raised me, and my friends are all the family I need."

Ray took Kai's hand.

"I've got _you_, and I'm perfectly happy with that."

Kai tugged Ray's hand forward and kissed it.

"I know what you mean."

They were silent once again. But it was a happy silence, one where there just wasn't any need for words.

"... this is getting pretty sappy. Your reputation might suffer."

"Oh my. You'd better make some more tea in order to repay me."

"Aye aye, captain Kai."

"Stop mimicking annoying people and use your lips for something useful, kitty cat."

"Well, I can bite, if you keep on being all sunshine on me. Frankly my dear, it just doesn't suit you."

"Uh-huh?"

The second cup was eventually consumed in bed.

* * *

Reviews and comments much appreciated.

Next: Brooklyn, Mystel and soap bubbles.


	3. BrooklynMystel

Title: The Art of Visions

Rating: K+

Pairing: Brooklyn x Mystel

Warnings: Includes a boy couple. If that's something that shocks you.

A/N: Two-shot that works as a one-shot. Chapter 4 will have the second part.

* * *

It was raining. Though, Brooklyn noted, not very heavily. If the distance was short and you acted fast, getting wet was possible to avoid. And even at greater distances, you had ways of protecting yourself.

Mystel seemed blissfully unaware of this.

Sunday brunch at Garland's was their weekly routine, and something as petty as bad weather could not postpone it. Hurricanes might give them a bit trouble, but mere rain was something to be laughed at.

Fastest way to get to home was to cut through the park. Due to the weather conditions it was mostly deserted, and that suited the two just fine. Only a few brave souls with umbrellas had dared to go for a walk.

"You know, we have an umbrella too. We could give it a try?" Brooklyn tried, without much hope. His hair was already dripping water, and the clothes glued themselves on his skin.

"You regret putting on those white clothes, eh?" came the cheerful answer. Mystel was currently located on the highest branch of a nearby tree. He was enjoying the views immensely. The views, conveniently, included Brooklyn.

"Mystel, butterfly... I know I always say you shouldn't be jealous of me... but I didn't exactly mean you should be showing off my body, either."

"Hey, at least I won my bet against Garland."

"What bet?" Brooklyn asked suspiciously.

"The bet about your underwear. I knew they'd be black. Gar voted for green."

Slowly, Brooklyn looked down. He instantly made a firm decision never to wear white trousers again. He thought about mentioning the unfair advantages Mystel could have concerning his underwear, but thought better of it.

"I would have guessed white if someone had asked."

"Brook... white boxers under white trousers and t-shirt? Would you _really_ be standing casually in the rain like that?"

"Point taken."

Mystel looked around the park.

"There's a bench over there. Wanna sit down?"

Brooklyn shrugged.

"We are soaked, and the rain seems to be ceasing. Why not."

The bench was wet, but so were they. They sat down.

A sudden ray of sunlight promised a nicer evening. People would come out of their hiding places and forget the rain had ever existed.

"I'll say, if your underwear is wet, you have failed at something."

"Always with the nagging", Mystel laughed, without any malice.

"I just pointed out a relevant fact. Do you like soap bubbles?"

Brooklyn didn't give Mystel time to ask why he carried a bottle of liquid soap in his pocket.

"I tried to show this to Hiro. Sadly, I don't think he quite understood what I wanted him to see."

Wind caught the bubbles as soon as they had been blown, and they quickly rose towards the sky. Mystel stared at them go, then suddenly took a giant leap. For a moment, he was floating in the air among all the bubbles. Slowly he landed back on the bench.

Brooklyn, completely unperplexed, merely looked at him, mildly curious.

"I just wanted to look at them closer", Mystel said dismissively.

"Well?"

It was a test. Brooklyn knew it, and he was pretty sure Mystel knew, too. Many others had failed at this, by thinking too hard, trying to figure what it was that Brooklyn expected them to see. They guessed parallel universes, portals, mirrors and, in Garland's case, soap bubbles.

"You are grinning."

"Gar said he looked at them and saw soap bubbles."

"Well, he was hardly wrong."

"What did you see?"

Mystel looked at the sky, scanning for any soap bubbles lingering in the area. His expression told Brooklyn that the he wasn't going to lie or come up with answers to please the redhead.

"I just saw the world, through every colour of the rainbow."

Brooklyn smiled.

"I knew you would get it."

* * *

But what did Mystel get, exactly?

Reviews will be loved. They will let you hear the answer to the question: _what label is Brook's underwear_?

Next: The mother of Beyblade Conspiracy theories, or just a crazy dream? You be the judge.


	4. Dr K

... I do feel guilty for disappearing (... again), but to my excuse, starting a new job and moving to a different country has its own stress factors. I never seem to have any energy to do stuff in the evenings. Being sort of like an adult is haaard. :(

Title: Dr. Kon

Rating: K+ , maybe?

Pairing: No official pairings.

Warnings: Randomness worth Beyblade conspiracy theories.

A/N: ... for some, it is probably easier to imagine this as a crazy dream of the main character.

* * *

Newton's First Law of Motion states that in order for the motion of an object to change, a force must act upon it.

Murphy's Law, on the other hand, states that if anything can go wrong, it will.

xxx

Dr. K had never been much of a people person. People were difficult, needy and unstable. She had always preferred chemistry and physics. Science was unstable in its own stable way, at least.

After the incident with Beybladers several years earlier, Dr. Zagart had given her two choices. The other one had been jail. After that, her life hadn't been that bad. She had a great job with steady income. She wasn't in love with anyone, but she had two cats, and some friends who worked in the same facility. Her life didn't need any drastic events that might change the direction of her future.

"Doctor Kon!"

One took place anyways.

She hadn't been called that name in the past ten years.

"Doctor Kon! I have the test results you asked for!"

It was a young guy, someone who has just started the work and didn't know the facility's habits. Dr K's older colleagues looked worried, for they all remembered just how strictly she had emphasized that is was just "K", and that's it. Instinctively they stared at the newcomer with horrified fascination. Witnessing a blood bath was something to tell about to the grandchildren.

Dr. K turned to the young man and opened her mouth. Everyone held their breath. Some even closed their eyes.

"Thank you."

There was a consensus that something was now seriously wrong with the world. The newcomer smiled and left, head and all vital organs intact. Dr. K just stared at the result paper in thought.

Dr. Kon... that was her last name. Had been her last name. Her boyfriend's last name.

She had been young, stupid, and in love. She had been doing some volunteer work for the summer in some little village in China, and a local man had won her heart. She had gotten herself pregnant. She had thought she would live happily ever after with Ronald and their future baby. She had been _so_ naive.

Ronald had died a few hours before the labour. A snakebite, she had been told. She never saw the body. They told her only after she had given birth to a healthy baby boy. She had cried for many reasons. She couldn't even look at her own child after being told. She didn't know what had happened to the baby afterwards, she just slept and cried. And finally, when she had been strong enough to walk around on her own, the villagers had suggested she should leave. You are young, they had said, you have your life ahead of you. Leave the child to us. We will take care and raise him well.

She had left and never returned. In Japan she had, in a heat of a moment, changed her last name to honour her late lover. The memories had been forgotten, but the name had stayed.

Erzulie Kon, originally Yunoba. "Kon" and some hazy memories were all that connected her to that time of her life.

Her son would now be 18.

xxx

Dr. K's work-shift was over, and she headed towards home. She kept glaring at other women walking past her with their children. This whole remembering-my-past thing always made her cranky.

Something caught her interest. A TV behind the window of an electronics store was showing a face she recognized. The young man in the TV appeared to be commenting on Russian politics.

Ah... a familiar face from the past. Kai Hiwatari. A teammate of that Granger kid. Dr. K snorted. She should have figured. Everything today would remind her of the part. She should have just stayed at home. The juice spilled on her favorite shirt had foreshadowed that the day would go all wrong. Always listen to the juice. And what next? Zagart jumping from a bush, selling old photo-albums?

The TV was now showing other people as well. A redhead, and then someone who really needed a tan. Dr. K knew these people had been bladers once, like Kai, but she did not remember the names. There was also a raven-haired boy who wasn't talking. Dr. K realized she knew him.

So, another one of the Granger party. Dr. K didn't remember the name. Not Kenny, Kenny was the nerdy one with glasses. It wasn't Max either. Tate was the one with blonde hair and a smile of a someone who enjoys his sugar in cupfuls. This young man, smiling carefully next to Kai, looked more elegant, more adult. More like...

Ray! That's what he'd been called. Ray something. Ray, Ray, Ray...

Normally she wouldn't have given a damn, but her day was ruined anyways, and she had an odd feeling that she should have remembered the surname.

Some names appeared on the screen. Kuznetsov, Ivanov, Hiwatari, Kon. ... Kon. Ray… Kon.

Dr. K blinked. Interesting coincidence. But there had to be dozens of young men with the surname Kon. Many of them most likely had dark, long hair, a bit similar to her hair. Really, this was nothing she should be thinking about.

She had a feeling her brains were trying to tell her something she didn't really want to know.

... wasn't Ronald's grandfather had been called Raymond?

xxx

When Dr. Kon finally got home, she spent two hours petting her cats. The cats didn't understand why, but they didn't complain.

* * *

I think I've just needed to write this story and get it over with ever since I read Shinneth's writings in Ty Kamara.

Whether Dr. K is Ray's mom or whether this was all a crazy dream caused by bad booze, it's all up to the reader.

Next up: Continuation for BrookMyst.


	5. BrooklynMystel, 2

Title: The Art Of First Times

Rating: I'd say it's more than K+ but less than T. See, I'm very useful with rating things.

Pairing: Brooklyn x Mystel

Warnings: Boy-couple and possible fluff ahoy!

A/N: Continuing the previous BrookMyst, in chapter 3. ... where I said I would continue it in chapter 4.

Keli fails.

* * *

There was always a special feel in the air after rain. Many people decided to explore it by taking a leisure stroll through the park. Mystel and Brooklyn, on the other hand, had taken the stroll already while it had been raining. Their clothes were still wet, though slowly drying in the sun. They were now sitting on a bench and attracting a crowd of people who enjoyed being around celebrities in hopes of hearing or seeing something to gossip about.

"I wish they would stop talking about underwear."

"The curse of the white trousers in the rain, Brook."

Mystel was sitting tightly next to Brooklyn. What he _really_ wanted to do was climb trees and jump from rocks, but he worried that if he was to leave even for a little while, someone would start flirting shamelessly with Mystel's boyfriend.

The thing was, Mystel thought, doing his best not to be bitter, that in the public eyes, he and Brooklyn weren't dating. They were friends. Roommates. Shared the house, not the bed. Brooklyn and Mystel had, in fact, never officially declared that they were dating, not to more than their closest friends. There were rumours, Mystel knew, and not only because he had started some of them himself on the web, but mostly people considered them single and willing for flirt. Never mind the fact that they had dated for almost two years now.

Mystel wanted to come out with it, let the world know. Brooklyn always asked him to wait. Mystel didn't ask why. He knew that questioning Brook wouldn't give him any answers. The reason could have been Mystel still being under-aged while Brooklyn was legally an adult. It could have been Brooklyn's fear of media fuss. Really, it could have been that Brooklyn was getting bored with his little toy and already secretly looked for a new playmate. Mystel didn't know the answers, and sometimes thought he preferred it that way.

The wooden surface of the bench felt cold and somehow distant beneath Mystel's hands. He tried his best not to compare it with how Brooklyn felt right at the moment.

He sighed.

Hanging out with your boyfriend wasn't supposed to be this difficult.

A gentle pressure against Mystel's right hand caught him off guard. He looked down. Brooklyn's hand was placed over his. Their fingers took the initiative and entwined. Mystel tried to find some answers on Brooklyn's face, but the redhead was looking elsewhere.

This was... their first time. The first time they had acted like this with so many people watching.

Mystel blushed out of excitement. He was aware that blushing because he was touching his long-term boyfriend's hand was probably not very sane, but he didn't care. It felt like he had won some kind of battle. The relationship had turned a little bit more real.

"You shouldn't doubt things. We have time."

Before Mystel could reply anything, a screech caught their attention.

"Ohmigawd! Penny, you have _no_ clue of what I am seeing right now! That Brooklyn, the redhead – uh huh, bow chicka bow wow, I'd tap that, you know who I'm talking about – yeah, he's in the centre park, I can see his underwear – eh? Oh, black. ... what do you mean _what label_, good god woman, they aren't _that_ visible. Concentrate, will you? He's here, and he's holding hands with that short, blonde cutie, whatshisname..."

"Mystel?" Mystel suggested helpfully. There was no need to be impolite. The lady had obviously wanted to know.

"Yeah, Mystel! Unbelievable! You should see this, it's really sweet! ... What, no, I _can't_ ask if I can take a picture, you bozo! How embarrassing would _that_ be?"

Mystel and Brooklyn peeked at each other.

"You do realize that they might suspect our relationship ain't completely platonic, now?"

"How daring of us."

"Uh-huh. In case you aren't aware of this, you are still wearing wet, white clothes. I think people are getting a bit too excited about the views."

Brooklyn tugged the blonde's hair in a loving manner.

"Is that jealousy I doth detect?"

"It's of course none of my business if you want to show off your marvellous taste in the underwear department, but we _were_ once planning on going to a place called home."

For the second time in a short while Mystel was caught completely off guard, this time with a slight kiss straight on the lips. The audience rejoiced.

"Let's go then", Brooklyn whispered with a grin. Without another warning, he stood up and started walking to the direction of the main street. Mystel looked around, grinned like he had just found out that the universe had crowned him as the king of everything, thought about making a grand exit, failed at thinking what kind, grinned some more, and finally just ran after his boyfriend.

He felt like he was flying ten feet above the ground the whole time on their way home, and this time he didn't need to take any leaps.

* * *

... you'd never notice that I'm a huge fan of this pairing, eh?

Next up: Garland, Claude and midnight walks.


End file.
